TOMBALL, TX: There are thousands of podcasts that let listeners pick and choose from a variety of subjects that catch their interests. That’s because podcasts have made it really easy to create and deliver valuable and beneficial content to, literally, a world-wide audience. Lone Star College-Tomball is taking advantage of that powerful capability with a series of podcasts dedicated to exploring innovative applications of multimedia in higher education.
Episodes of Media in Mind each feature an entertaining and informative conversation hosted by part time employee, Rob Abel, and work-study student, Steven Romero. The two work in Multimedia Services under the direction of Monte Darland, the manager of the department and the producer for the podcasts.
“I happened to overhear Rob and Steven bantering back and forth in a lively discussion about something related to video editing and it caught my attention,” said Darland describing how the idea for Media in Mind originated.
“That’s when I said to myself that this would be a great podcast.”
Even though neither Rob nor Steven had any experience, Darland asked if they would like to try their hand at co-hosting a podcast. He suggested the duo could start by simply talking about their interests in subjects related to digital video production, in effect, continuing their causal workplace conversations. Then, in future podcasts, they could try their hand at talking with guest experts about broader digital media topics, especially those concerned with the evolving and on-going impact on higher education.
“At first we just kind of considered it a spur of the moment idea,” said Rob Abel who is a videographer and editor when not in the podcast booth. “But then Steven and I did a trial run and Monte showed it around to campus administrators and faculty and they all loved it.”
Steven Romero is a second year LSC-Tomball student who plans to transfer to a four year college to continue working on a BFA degree in Film and TV Production. He likes that the podcasts have evolved from the two of them talking about editing techniques and camera work to something much more significant.
“Not only are we talking with people from different walks of life and from different professions about the interesting and innovative ways they’re using digital media in higher education,” Romero said, “We’re even talking to doctors, specialists, and others who are having an important impact on the world outside of education.”
Darland, Abel and Romero work as a team brainstorming ideas about topics and guests and then together they come up with a flexible road map to follow for each program. The podcasts usually take less than an hour to record but that largely depends on the guest. When Dr. Lee Ann Nutt, the president of LSC-Tomball College was the featured guest, they let the conversation go on as long as she had something to say. Once all the segments are recorded, the team reviews and edits them, taking out the inevitable stumbles and irrelevant dialogue. The final product can be as short as 20 minutes and sometimes as long as 40 minutes.
Or, as Rob likes to say, “We want the podcasts to be about as long as it takes to drive somewhere in Tomball or Houston.”
Before the podcasts are uploaded to one of the sites where they can be accessed, it’s sent to the guest for their review. So far, no one has changed a thing. Now, with over ten podcasts under their belt, both Rob and Steven acknowledge that as they have become more experienced researching and discussing topics and interviewing guests, Darland’s confidence in them has also grown.
“The notion that we couldn’t do it never crossed our minds,” Rob said with Steven adding, “Monte gave us the tools to produce the Media in Mind content and we went into it with both barrels.”
“Delivering content in this digital age means engaging with our communities through various interactive platforms,” said Darland about the significance of the podcasts. “At LSC-Tomball, we are determined to take advantage of these new digital media channels for social engagement, not only because they are effective ways to inform and entertain, but they also have an important role educating and preparing our students for what’s ahead of them after they graduate.”
The Media in Mind podcasts can be accessed on iTunes and YouTube, as well as, other popular podcast websites simply by searching for Media in Mind. The podcasts are also available on the Multimedia Services webpage.
LSC-Tomball’s Multimedia Services department provides assistance to administrators, faculty, staff and students creating instructional media content that includes audio, video, virtual reality and digital media productions. The department provides access to state-of-the-art technology and techniques that supplement the learning process.
Lone Star College-Tomball is located at 30555 Tomball Parkway, at the intersection of SH 249 and Zion Road. For more information about the college, call 281.351.3300 or visit LoneStar.edu/Tomball.
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 99,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of nearly $3 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, 10 centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.
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